Shoe-lace fastener



(No Model.)

W. H. MASON. SHOE LACE FASTENER.

PaLtent-d Aug. 1, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. MASON, OF DEMAREST, NEW JERSEY.

SHOE-LACE FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,422, dated August 1, 1893.

Application filed July 28, 1892. Serial No. 441,527. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MASON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Demarest, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoe-Lace Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shoe lace holders, the object being to furnish a cheap and durable holder for the ends of shoe laces, which will, by its action hold the same securely, and will not cut or damage the lace.

In carrying the invention into operation, I first stamp out an oblong blank of sheet metal of such quality and sufficient thickness to possess resilience when bent into shape. This blank is first flanged or bent at right angles along one of its edges, then bent in such shape as to produce at its center an eyelet from which extend two arms forming the sides of an elongated slot. The blank thus bent is inserted in a slit in the leather or other material and its vertical edge bent over against the material by a punch or other means. The edges of the slot when in position form a clamp in which the end of the lace is heldthe resilience of the metal being sufficient to press the parts together and firmly clamp the end. Where the clamp would be called upon to do severe work as in heavy pedestrian shoes and the like, I may reinforce the spring ends by passing a looped steel wire spring over the projecting ends previous to the operation of clamping the same inposition in the material. It will be noted that the normal position of the clamping jaws is such that their inner faces are in contact their entire length-the action of the lace when forced between them serving to separate themand the spring or resilience of the jaws serving to hold and secure the lace.

In the drawings I have shown in Figure 1 a blank A preparatory to bending. Fig. 2 shows the same with its edge a bent or flanged. Fig. 3 shows the same bent into shape-forming an eyelet B and projecting spring jaws b b. Fig. 4 shows the bent blank with a steel wire spring 0 applied to the same to reinforce the jaws. Fig. 5 shows the device in position in a shoe. Fig. 6, shows a longitudinal section illustrating the position of the spring when the device is in position. Fig. '7 is a slightly modified form of the clamp.

As will be seen by reference to the drawings, the lace is passed through the eyelet B and pulled forward until it passes between the jaws b b where it is firmly held-the spring 0 Where used pressing against the outer sides of the jaws and forcing the same together, the spring preferably lying against the inside surface of the shoe and between that and the flange d formed by bending over the vertical edge as described. In the modified form the metal is bent around so as to form a loop with an eyelet at one end, the joining ends of the metal being brought by such construction at one side instead of at the end of the slot.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A shoe lace holder formed of a continuous metal strip bent in the form of an eyelet with elongated spring arms extending therefrom with free ends, and forming a slot whose inner sides are nearly adjacent, the edges of the blank being bent outward to form retaining flanges adapted to retain and hold between them the edges of the material and thereby secure the holder in the shoe.

2. A shoe lace fastener formed of a continuous metal blank bent and formed into an eyelet and parallel spring arms whose inner edges are in normal contact and a re-inforcing spring applied to the outer ends of the arms to increase their effective pressure on the inserted lace.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

WILLIAM H. MASON.

Witnesses:

W. R. KENNEDY, RAYMOND F. BARNES. 

